What story does Rhaenyra read in 'House of the Dragon': who is Queen Visenya Targaryen and why is she important
In the second season, the queen of Dragonstone has been seen reading the story of this warrior queen on two occasions.
The queen Visenya Targaryen has a great impact on several female characters in the universe created by George R.R. Martin. Arya Stark mentions her as her hero during a conversation with Tywin Lannister in Harrenhal in Game of Thrones, and in House of the Dragon she exerts a great influence on Rhaenyra.
In the first season of the prequel, Queen Aemma Arryn, the first wife of Viserys I Targaryen, tells her husband that Rhaenyra believed her unborn brother would be a girl and that she had already chosen the name Visenya. This is the name Rhaenyra gave at the end of the season to her stillborn daughter.
In this second installment, the queen of Dragonstone has been seen returning to the books twice to consult the history of Vysenya for inspiration. The first time is at the end of episode 2, when she takes a book from her library and flips through it, pausing at her deeds, particularly at an image of Queen Visenya taking a castle on the back of Vhagar while burning everything down.
'House of the Dragon'
In the fifth episode, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon finds his mother studying an old textbook with another drawing of Queen Visenya. Rhaenyra speaks of this warrior queen with great admiration as the first dragonrider of Vhagar and wielder of the Dark Sister sword (now owned by Aemond and Daemon respectively).
Although Visenya is not the best role model as a ruler, it is clear that Rhaenyra envies her skill as a warrior, a deficiency that causes frustration as she was not taught to fight by her father, who focused on teaching her history and protocol.
Who was Visenya
According to Fire and Blood, Visenya was born on Dragonstone and was the sister of Rhaenys Targaryen and Aegon I Targaryen, also known as Aegon the Conqueror. Following the Valyrian tradition, Visenya became one of the sister-wives of Aegon I Targaryen alongside Rhaenys, and their combined strength plus their three dragons led them to successfully conquer Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms.
Her political legacy is crucial for the background and development of events in House of the Dragon, as she represents the first woman to establish the Targaryen dynasty on the Iron Throne. Visenya was a formidable warrior, wielding the Valyrian steel sword Dark Sister and riding the fearsome Vhagar, one of the largest and deadliest dragons of her time.
Visenya, Aegon, and Rhaenys Targaryen
Visenya Targaryen's influence extended beyond her fierce battlefield skills. Her marriage to her brother Aegon helped consolidate Targaryen dominion in Westeros through a combination of military might and political strategy.
While Aegon used to entrust his sisters with the day-to-day governance, it was Visenya who invented the idea of the Kingsguard. The intrepid Queen is also credited with taking control of the Vale's seat of power, the Eyrie, simply by flying to the mountain's peak with Vhagar.
The Queen Regent of the Vale did not flinch and yielded peacefully. Visenya oversaw much of the construction and planning of the city of King's Landing while Aegon I was in Dragonstone. She bore him a son, Maegor, his only child, who went down in history as Maegor the Cruel
*This article has been translated automatically using artificial intelligence
